ABSTRACT Nanohybrid materials prepared by the nano-scale incorporation of organic moieties into the interlayer spaces of layered inorganic hosts have attracted a great deal of interest because of their wide applications in industry and environmental protection. In this investigation, a sim-ple and green method is reported for the preparation of novel trifunctionalized organoclays (OCs) using protonated form of acidic (aspartic and glutamic acid) and hydroxyl (serine and tyrosine) functionalized a-amino acids with Cloisite Na ? . The synthesized OCs were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, and dispersibility measure-ment. X-ray diffraction results show that the basal spacing of the OCs increased with amino acids loading that affirm that the intercalation was successful. The morphology of these novel materials was examined by scanning electron microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Thermogravimetric analysis show that the quantity of organic modifier in the organo-bionanoclays is in good agreement with the theo-retically calculated stoichiometric content expected for approximately entire exchange of Na ? ions by amino acid cations. These results are very important and relevant to the preparation of low-cost, biocompatible and biodegradable organo-nanoclays for industrial applications.